Asking Him to Marry Me

Mr. PB gifted me with a beautiful engagement ring when he proposed to me. What did he get? Sure, he gets to spend the rest of his life with me, but if we are playing tit for tat, I get to spend the rest of my life with him. So in reality, I get him and some bling, but he just gets me.

I got a ring, and a couple of days later he got a heart shaped chicken nugget. / Personal photo

I’ve never quite understood the girl-gets-the-ring, the-guy-gets-nothing phenomenon. I mean, I’m sure it goes back to the days when dowries were given in exchange for a bride, but it’s now 2014—time for new traditions.

I’ve always thought that the groom should get something. Maybe a big screen TV or season tickets to his favorite sports team or a gadget he’s been ogling. I don’t think women necessarily need to spend as much on an item as the guy spends on the ring, but I think making him feel loved and appreciated is definitely important.

When it came to thinking of something to give Mr. PB, I didn’t want to get him something electronic because he barters and trades his electronics all the time. I would be pretty bummed if he traded his engagement gift for something shinier and newer. Mr. PB doesn’t wear any jewelry, so a watch or anything else in that category was out. Season tickets to his favorite sports team would be somewhat of a punishment thanks to the team’s poor performance as of late. So, the wheels started turning”¦

Mr. PB and I both love taking little weekend road trips and small vacations. Each time we would plan a trip, Mr. PB would come up with an outrageous travel plan. “First, we take a bus to Philly, stay a night, take a train up to Jersey, and then rent a car and drive back home.” That was legitimately one of his proposed itineraries once. Needless to say, I shot it down. But I was reminded of his crazy travel plans when I was thinking of a gift for him. You see, Mr. PB had never traveled by train, commercial bus, or airplane before. And neither of us had ever been to New York City during Christmastime.

After some quick research, I was able to book us a train ride from Rochester to Syracuse, a bus ride from Syracuse to New York City, a room at a cool hotel, and a plane ride back home the next day. It was completely spontaneous of me and totally not something I would normally be OK with, but I knew Mr. PB would be thrilled about it. Plus, it made me happy that the gift was more based on creating memories than giving something tangible. But I needed to find a fun way to let him know about the trip. So I decided to propose.

I found some transportation clip art, added some words, and cut four cards out. I put them into a box and had Mr. PB randomly select them out of the box one by one. He was a bit confused as the cards came out, but once they were all together, I think he began to understand.

He didn’t believe me that I was OK with the multiple forms of transportation. Putting my likes and preferences aside is part of giving a gift, right? / Personal photo

Mr. PB quickly accepted my proposal, and less than a month later we were in the Big Apple and enjoying all the holiday spirit.

Don’t mind Mr. PB’s crazy-man beard. It was a phase. Pay more attention to the angels playing trumpets in the background. / Personal photo

Did you gift your fiance with an engagement present? Do you and your significant other enjoy weekend trips like we do?

comments

This is an awesome idea!!!!!!! I just purchased his wedding band without him knowing… I was wondering the same thing you were wondering! Why do the guys NOT get some kind of special treatment as well?
Awesomeness! Thanks for sparking ideas!